By, Dr. Aruna Muralidhar
Vaginal odour is something that all women deal with. It is completely normal and natural for the vagina to have a certain amount of secretions which keep it acidic in pH. Also the vagina is full of good bacteria which keep other harmful bacteria out and produce acid to keep the pH low.
However, certain odours may be a sign of certain abnormalities. A fishy odour for example, may indicate an infection called bacterial vaginosis. A change in the type of discharge, presence of burning or itching will need an evaluation by a gynaecologist.
Also forgotten tampons, lesions relating to the neck of the womb (cervix) may cause a very bad odour. Also, there is a distinct odour during periods and when the menstrual blood on the pad comes in contact with air, the stink can be pretty bad.
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All smells cannot be eliminated but certain tips in hygiene may work. Changing clothes immediately after exercise, and using mild soap and warm water to clean will certainly help.
Changing pads every 4-5 hours or even changing to menstrual cups may help odour during periods.
Some important NO-NOs and hence best avoided practices are douching the vagina ( ie., washing inside), frequently using bubble baths and panty liners, and using fancy creams, gels, scented wipes and deodorants and other perfumes.
(The author is a Senior Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Fortis La Femme hospital, Bangalore.)
